Long gun storage

Abstract

An apparatus enables a long gun to be stored upright in a cabinet having a floor and an overhanging surface. The apparatus has: (a) a rod adapted for insertion into the gun barrel; (b) a cap attached to the top of the rod; (c) a hook-and-loop fabric, a magnet, or the like for removably attaching the cap to the underside of the overhanging surface; (d) a first ring in a fixed position at the bottom of the rod; and (e) a second ring in a movable position on the rod between the top and the bottom of the rod.

I claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for the upright storage of a long gun in a cabinet having a floor and an overhanging surface, the apparatus comprising:
 (a) a rod having a top and a bottom, a thickness of about one-tenth to one-half inch, and a length of about two to twenty-four inches; 
 (b) a cap having a width of about one-half to two inches attached to the top of the rod; and 
 (c) a magnet or a hook-and-loop fabric attached to the cap; 
 (d) a first ring on the rod in a fixed position at the bottom of the rod; and 
 (e) a second ring on the rod in a movable position on the rod between the top and the bottom of the rod; 
 
       such that when the rod of the apparatus is inserted into a barrel of a long gun and the long gun is then placed in an upright position on a floor of a cabinet with an overhanging surface located above the barrel a distance of about one to twenty-two inches and being made of a ferromagnetic material and/or covered with a hook-and-loop fabric, the apparatus is adapted to be raised to attach the cap to the overhanging surface while a portion of the rod remains in the barrel and thereby secure the long gun in a stable and vertical storage position. 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the bottom of the rod is threaded and the first ring is positioned upon the threads of the rod. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first ring and the second ring are formed of a resilient material. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1  additionally comprising: (f) a foam cleaning ring on the rod positioned between the first ring and the second ring. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the cap is perpendicular to the rod. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the rod and cap are made of fiberglass, graphite, thermoplastic, wood, or plastic-coated metal. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the rod is cylindrical with a diameter of about one quarter inch and has a length of about six to eighteen inches. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus for the upright storage of a long gun having a length and a barrel with an inside diameter in a cabinet having a floor and an overhanging surface at a height greater than the length of the long gun, the apparatus comprising:
 (a) a rod having a top, a bottom, a thickness less than the inside diameter of the gun barrel, and a length greater than the difference between the height of the surface and the length of the gun, the rod being adapted for insertion into the gun barrel; 
 (b) a cap attached to one end of the rod, the cap having a width greater than the inside diameter of the gun barrel, the cap being adapted for limiting the insertion of the rod into the gun barrel; 
 (c) a means for removably attaching the cap to the underside of the overhanging surface; 
 (d) a first ring in a fixed position at the bottom of the rod; and 
 (e) a second ring in a movable position on the rod between the top and the bottom of the rod. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the bottom of the rod is threaded and the first ring is positioned upon the threads of the rod. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the first ring and the second ring are formed of a resilient material. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the rod is cylindrical with a length of about six to eighteen inches and a diameter of about one-tenth to one-half inch. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the rod and cap are made of fiberglass, graphite, thermoplastic, wood, or thermoplastic-coated metal. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the removable attachment means comprises hook-and-loop fabric. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the removable attachment means comprises a magnet. 
     
     
       15. A method for storing a long gun in a cabinet, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a long gun having a length and a barrel with an inside diameter; 
 (b) providing a cabinet having a floor and a roof or shelf forming an overhanging surface at a height above the floor that is greater than the length of the long gun; 
 (c) providing a long gun storage apparatus comprising: (i) a rod having a top, a bottom, a thickness less than the inside diameter of the gun barrel, and a length greater than the difference between the height of the surface and the length of the gun, the rod being adapted for insertion into the gun barrel; (ii) a cap attached at the top of the rod, the cap having a width greater than the inside diameter of the gun barrel, the cap being adapted for limiting the insertion of the rod into the gun barrel; (iii) a means for removably attaching the cap to the underside of the overhanging surface; (iv) a first ring in a fixed position at the bottom of the rod; and (v) a second ring in a movable position between the top of the rod and the bottom of the rod; 
 (b) inserting the rod of the long gun storage apparatus into the barrel of the long gun; 
 (c) placing the long gun in an upright position on the floor of the cabinet with the overhanging surface directly above; and 
 (d) raising the cap of the apparatus to removably attach it to the overhanging surface. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  wherein the rod is cylindrical with a length of about two to twenty-four inches and a diameter of about one-tenth to one-half inch. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15  wherein the rod and cap are integral and made of fiberglass, graphite, thermoplastic, wood, or thermoplastic-coated metal. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15  wherein the removable attachment means comprises hook-and-loop fabric. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15  wherein the removable attachment means comprises a magnet. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15  wherein the bottom of the rod is threaded and the first ring is positioned upon the threads of the rod.